Everything Gets Better With Age
by mariko05
Summary: Tristan and Rory meet again after many years. From chapter nine REVISED, and the ending will probably change a little too...
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: Unfortunately, I don't own anything _Gilmore Girls_ related.

*****In chapter one I used a song from Disney's Enchanted called "Happy Working Song."

I hope you enjoy the story…

Everything Gets Better With Age

**Chapter One**

"Dad?"

"Yes, son?"

"Was there ever a girl that got away?"

**333**

"How we all enjoy letting loose with a little lala dum dum dum, while we're emptying the vacuum, its such fun to hum, a happy working song…"

Tristan Dugrey awoke unhappily early one Saturday morning to his youngest daughter, Aurora's singing of songs from her latest obsession, Disney's _Enchanted_. It is on days like today he wishes he could teach his children not to buy into (no pun intended) capitalist's wet dreams. His wife, Adrienne Barclay, who was Yale's Departmental head of Media Studies would have claimed he is far too critical of his children's taste in music, film, and fashions. He can't help that after growing up in high society their values have made him cynical. He made a vow (to himself) that he would never abandon his children the way his parents had abandoned and disappointed him.

He closes his eyes again; he sees his wife and daughter Aurora standing side-by-side in matching aprons mixing cookie dough and laughing quietly. But he brings himself back to reality when he realizes that it has been over four years since she has died. Died and left him with children he doesn't know how to handle. The youngest he can handle; she is still so naïve and innocent, and she is basically a blank slate on which he can project his feelings of society and the high life. However, Aurora's older brother and sisters who are rapidly becoming adults he has almost no control over anymore. They go out (no note. Reminds him of himself when he was younger) and they return home at ungodly hours of the morning.

He supposes, since he can't fall back to sleep that he should get up, fix her breakfast, and plop her in front of the early morning television cartoons before her brother, Nathan and sisters, Arabella and Blair are awoken by their sister's rendition of that _Enchanted_ song and strangle her. But when he finally climbs out of bed, he finds Aurora attempting to climb up on a chair to reach the cabinet with the cereal. She just barely reaches it on her tiptoes and is frantically swatting at the door to get it to open. She leans too far forward and grabs the swinging door for stability. She loses her balance on the chair and falls backwards with a crash!

"Aurora! No!" Tristan yells with concern. He is a moment too late and watches in horror as she slams her shoulder, hard, on the kitchen floor. She begins to wail as he realizes she probably dislocated her shoulder. He yells for her sisters, "Arabella! Blair!"

The crash below woke the twins who promptly sat up straight, exchange looks, stretch and yawn, and then they race together to the foot of the stairs and yell at their dad. "What happened?"

When they reach the kitchen they see their little sister laying on her back, her right arm in this weird, contorted position and crying at the top of her lungs, while their father is desperately trying to reach the closest hospital's emergency room. Arabella sits with her sister and brushes her fingers through Aurora's hair and Blair takes over talking to the hospital once their father starts yelling about how incompetent the health care system is. Meanwhile, Arabella starts singing softly to Aurora to calm her down a little.

Another male voice suddenly breaks through in all the chaos. "What the _hell_ happened?"

His sisters Arabella and Blair both stop what they are doing and stare at their older brother.

Blair places the phone to her chest and sneers, "Are you stupid, or just blind?"

Nathan didn't have much of a relationship with his twin sisters, however he and Aurora got along famously, much to his parents' surprise. He looks down at his injured sister and in a fluid movement picks her up and carries her out the door to his car. His father yells after him, "Hey! What are you doing?"

"Getting her to a hospital."

With that, everyone, still in wearing pajamas climbed into Nathan's monstrosity of an SUV. He ran several red lights, all of which his father also ignored, and they got to the nearest hospital in record time.

**333**

"Mom I'm going to be late! You can make coffee later!"

"Excuse me?" Rory looks up at her distraught daughter, Avery. "Did you just commit blasphemy?"

Avery just rolls her eyes.

"I still don't get how you are nothing like the Gilmores," Rory commented, more to herself than to anyone else. "Your grandmother, Lorelai, will be so disappointed."

"She'll love me anyways," Avery grins.

"Okay let's hurry before you'll be late," Rory smacks her daughter's butt playfully. "Off we go."

Just as she's about to roll into her parking space, a huge SUV makes a wide-angle turn and snags the spot.

"Shit," Rory sighs, narrowly missing hitting it.

Just as an older man and his children, one of whom was being carried, ran towards the hospital doors, Rory lets out her daughter.

"Are you sure you don't want me to come in with you?"

Avery looks at her seriously, "What would it look like if I'm the only one of the candy stripers who shows up with her mother at her side? I would look like a loser. Now, I'll see you back here at four."

Avery kisses her mother goodbye and climbs out of the car.

_Eight hours later_…

As she pushes the cart along she sees on the list the name DUGREY and she thinks that she'll have to skip that room, until she peers in and to her surprise lying in the bed is a cute little girl and an older man, who looks like he could be her father.

"Hello," Avery says cheerfully. "My name is Avery and I have a special treat for you. Milk and cookies; yummy."

As she places the cookies and milk on her tray she tries to make small talk with the young girl.

"How old are you?"

"I'm six," she answers proudly.

"What happened?"

"I fell off a chair and disocat my shoulder."

"You dislocated your shoulder?" Avery comments. "Ouch."

"But my brother and sisters love me."

"I'm sure they do."

"They will be right back."

"That's fine."

"Can they have milk and cookies too?"

Avery smiles at her guiltily, "I'm sorry sweetie, but these are just for you."

Just then Aurora's brother and sisters barge into the room. Nathan takes one look at Avery and sneers, "Cute outfit."

Avery looks away and mumbles, "Thank you." She wishes that she could come up with something better, but since having a crush on him since sixth grade, he still turns her words into a puddle of mush. He hangs with the popular crowd (and has been dating since he could walk, it seems), while Avery, like her mother, prefers solitary activities like reading. She chose volunteering at the hospital as part of her community hours to graduate from Chilton.

Nathan looks at her again and says, "You're dismissed; you can go now."

His father had woken up a second before, and he yawns, "Don't listen to my son. Now apologize, Nathan."

Nathan looks at his sleepy father. "Kiss my ass."

"Don't use that language with me in front of your sisters," Tristan tells him angrily.

At that moment a disgruntled woman looking for her granddaughter interrupts them. She takes one look at Avery and sighs. "I've been looking everywhere for you. Your mother has to go to Iraq for a week so your staying with me."

Avery smiles and pushes her cart to one side. "Hi grandma."

"What? No hug?"

Avery looks over at Tristan who is smiling. She hugs her grandmother who says, "Hey! Watch the coffee!"

Grandma Gilmore looks over Avery's shoulder and notices that she is in someone's room. "Oh! I'm sorry," she whispers sheepishly.

Tristan smiles, ignoring the glares from his son, "It's okay. You remind me of someone I used to know."

They exchange pleasantries for a few minutes and then Lorelai looks over at her granddaughter and says, "Come on Miss Avery Gilmore-Huntzberger let's get a move on. It's movie night at the Gilmore's!"

Tristan's smile faded, "Excuse me, did you just say Gilmore? As in Rory Gilmore?"

Lorelai looks at him puzzled, "Rory's my daughter. Do you know her?"

Tristan replies without a beat, "From high school." He stands to shake Lorelai's hand, "I'm Tristan Dugrey."

Even though she thinks she should remember who this man is, she simply can't. "I've heard you're name before, but I can't remember why."

"I guess it could be because of the fights with bag—I mean Dean…"

"Rory's first boyfriend…" Lorelai whispers. "Oh! Now I remember you! You're bible boy!"

Tristan frowns, "Bible boy?"

His children also look upset because they don't understand his connection with the candy striper, Avery's, mother.

Lorelai helps him on, "You used to call her Mary, and you had quite a crush on her."

Tristan blushes, "Oh right. Yeah, that's true. But she was a bit oblivious."

Lorelai agrees, "My daughter lives in her own world sometimes. But, oh! I'm forgetting my manners. This is her eldest, Avery, and she has two younger children Aiden and Logan Jr."

Tristan takes Avery's hand, "It's nice to meet any daughter of Rory's. I'm sure you're just as smart as your mother."

Lorelai beams proudly, "She is."

Rory rushes into the room, "Sorry I'm late sweetie. I was caught in traffic."

She looks over at her mother, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question? I thought I was picking her up today. Aren't you supposed to be half way to Iraq?"

"Oh?" Rory smiles sheepishly, "That got canceled last minute. There's been some major bombings where I'm supposed to be staying and they don't want to risk it."

Rory, too, realizes they aren't alone. Lorelai says, "Rory do you remember…"

She is already staring at the blonde man who is staring back at her, "Tristan?"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter Two**

After the Gilmore girls leave the room Nathan looks over at his father incredulously.

"How do you know Avery's mother, _exactly_?"

Tristan sighs and runs his hand through his graying blonde hair.

"_Nathan…_"

Nathan puts his hand up to stop him. "I think I have a right to know. I saw the way that you looked at her."

Tristan sighs again. "I loved your mother. I don't know which way that you think I looked at your friend's mother, but I didn't. Can we just drop this nonsense please?"

"I don't believe you, but okay, we'll drop it. _For now_." Nathan glares at his father, "And Avery, she's _not_ my friend, nor will she ever be. Her mother's hot, though."

Tristan pretends as if he didn't hear that last comment, and walks over to his youngest daughter. He holds her hand gently and looks into her eyes, "How are you feeling sweetie?"

Aurora looks away trying to cover up the tears that were welling in her eyes. "Are you mad at me daddy?"

The look on his face softens and he answers, "Of course not. What makes you think I'd be mad at you?"

"Because," she is crying now, "you yelled at me when I fell."

He rubs his finger against his daughter's wet, chubby cheek and kisses the top of her head.

"I love you babe. And _no_, I'm not mad at you. I was worried about you."

**333**

In the car, Avery is interrogating her mother. "How do you know Nathan's father?"

Rory is humming along to her favourite song, only half listening to her daughter's questions.

"Bible boy?" Lorelai pipes up. "How do you know bible boy? That was the question."

"Hmmm," Rory is still in a trance. "I know Tristan from high school. He was one of those popular, rich boys that try to make your life hell. But he also had a sweet side…"

Avery waves her hand in front of her mother's face. "You're driving; eyes on the road please. Okay, so was he a major player in your life, or what?"

Rory peels her eyes away from the road and looks at her daughter, puzzled. "What makes you think that he was a major player in my life?"

"Because of the way he looked at you today. Especially after all those years apart," she responds.

Rory giggles, "Tristan didn't look at me any special way sweetie. We were just beginning to become friends when he up and disappears to military school. So _no_, he was not, and probably will never be a major part of my life. Now stop worrying." She calms down and sighs, "Avery, does this have to do with _his_ boy? Is he making trouble for you at school?"

Avery blushes and says, "Maybe a little."

Lorelai teases, "Do you have a crush on this boy?"

**333**

From the high-tech kitchen he just renovated in his newly purchased condominium, Logan looks over lovingly at his young sons, Aiden and Logan Jr, playing scrabble.

"R-E-T-I-N-A. Retina, which is…" Aiden was explaining to his brother as the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Logan?"

"Yeah, whose this?"

"Tristan. Tristan Dugrey."

"Oh, hey, its been a long time since I've heard from you."

Tristan sighs noticeably, "I know and I'm sorry. Its just been…since my wife died and…"

"Say no more," Logan says. "I heard about that. The wife and I were going to go to her funeral, but she was called away to Bangkok at the last minute. My condolences, even though I know it's a little late."

Logan hears the stress in his old buddy's voice. "So what's with the call?"

"Well, I just met your wife."

"You met Rory? Wow, small world."

"Yeah. It's just, why didn't you call to tell me you got married?"

It is Logan's turn to sigh. He starts walking towards the sofa couch, "It's just that it was at the same time that your grandfather was ill and I felt that you didn't need that extra stress."

"You know," Tristan says, "You could've asked Rory's opinion."

Logan laughs, "What would Rory have had to say about it?"

"You know that we went to the same high school…"

Logan sounds more serious and more puzzled, "I know…"

"I am curious as to why you didn't tell me you got married to Rory _Gilmore_?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Of course it matters!" Tristan yells into the phone. "She's _Mary_, and you knew that!"

Rory's cell phone rings as she turns into her driveway. She sees that the caller ID is Logan and picks up.

"Rory, we need to talk."


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter Three**

Rory can still hear the reverberation in Logan's voice over the phone, "Rory, we need to talk." It's not like they never had _the talk _before; after all, they are divorced. But Rory dreaded _the talk_ like she dreaded the plague.

"What do we need to talk about?" she hears herself asking him.

After Tristan hangs up on Logan he is exhausted. Even if they hadn't spoken in years, he didn't like being angry with a friend. And he considers Logan a friend. And Mary, oops…Rory…he hadn't seen since high school and he certainly didn't have any _dibs _on her then. He can't believe that he just thought of Rory as a possession. She is so much more than that; even now, he knew that Logan is an idiot to give her up.

Tristan can't believe that after twenty or so odd years, he still finds himself attached and protective of Rory Gilmore. He knows he has no right to be. They never had a thing. But still. He can't help his feelings.

**333**

Nathan lay on his bed at home after his sister is released and stares at his bedroom ceiling. All he wants to do is clear his head. He never disliked Avery, but as _King of Chilton_ (taking over the role his father had claimed before him) his friends wouldn't take a second look at her. She's kind of a geek, he thinks to himself. That wouldn't help his reputation any.

**333**

Arabella and Blair, both taking pity on their little sister decide they need a spa day. They take her to Wellness Spa and Fitness Centre to get facials. So while the twins compare their boyfriends and their faces begin to feel tingly, their sister Aurora plays quietly with her dolls in the corner of the room. She is so quiet that when the twins are done they forget that she is with them and leave. Aurora, still in her imaginative mood do not notice that there is nobody in the room with her until long after the lights are dimmed and the next couple take to the beds.

**333**

"We need to talk about what kind of relationship you had with Tristan," Logan says seriously.

Rory turns to her daughter and mother and says, "Bye mom, bye sweetie. Don't spend too much money, okay?"

"Sorry Logan, you were saying…"

"I was asking what kind of relationship you and Tristan Dugrey had in high school."

Rory looks puzzled, "How do you know I know Tristan Dugrey?"

"You must have mentioned it."

"Logan. _Honestly_! I highly doubt that. I didn't like him in high school. So tell me what this is really about!"

"Did you know that he had feelings for you?"

"Who? Tristan?" Rory asked.

"Of course I'm talking about Tristan!"

Rory is silent for a minute. "Why should that matter?" she asks him softly.

"It matters because I want to know if I was just a placeholder for the guy you wanted but could never have!"

"Logan. Calm down. Of course you were never just a placeholder. I loved you. I just didn't love you enough to stay married to you. Remember…we fought _all_ the time, and we were scaring the children. This divorce is for the best. We can still try to be friends."

"I just…" Logan shakes his head. "Maybe I was just overreacting."

"I'd say so," Rory said sarcastically.

"Here we go again…" Logan snaps back at her.

**333**

"Grandma, you told mom that we were going shopping, not to some fancy spa."

"Oh come on. Our skin will be nice and blemish free…" she teases.

"Our skin is already nice and blemish-free. We're Gilmore's," Avery says in all seriousness.

"Come on…I'll buy you ice cream after if you don't tell your mother."

"Okay. Deal." After shaking on it, Avery and Lorelai sit in their chairs.

Just before they start their treatment, Avery notices someone familiar in the corner of her eye.

"Aurora Dugrey?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter Four**

"Aurora Dugrey?"

**333**

"Here _what _goes again?" asks Rory angrily.

"I guess trying to be friends is out of the question?" Logan fires back at her.

"I guess so," snaps Rory.

"You know, I have no idea why you are so upset that I knew Tristan in high school. Especially since I never hid that fact from you. You _never_ asked!"

"How was I supposed to know that I should have?"

"How was I?"

"Because you're Rory Gilmore! You know everything!"

"Although you, on the other hand, hid the fact that you knew him until a few seconds ago!"

"Tristan and I are old friends! We grew up together!"

**333**

"So buddy, who are you going to ask to Chilton's annual prom? Savannah? Monica? _Candy_? I hear she's _easy_ dude. Go for it. She and Tim are on the outs," Nathan's best friend, Adam said.

"I don't know," Nathan replied. "I was thinking of asking Avery."

Adam looked genuinely confused. "_Why_? You're Nathan Dugrey. Some of the teachers would go with you, that's how popular you are."

Nathan answers smugly, "Obviously. I'm Nathan Dugrey."

**333**

"Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was hot like me? Don'tcha wish your girlfriend was a freak, like me? Don'tcha?" Blair and Arabella sing at the top of their lungs, hair blowing in their faces because the top on their convertible is down. They don't notice that the car seat in the back is empty.

They were searching through the prom dresses rack at Barney's when Arabella's phone rings.

"Hello? Oh, hey dad, what's up? Aurora? Oh, right. Yeah, let me check, just a second," she says just before she presses the cell phone to her chest.

"Hey, Blair, where's Aurora?"

"Don't you have her?"

"No…I thought you did…"

"She's your responsibility Blair! You're older!"

"By, like, two minutes!"

"How could you let this happen?"

"How could I let this happen? How is this _my_ fault, exactly?"

"Girls!" Tristan's angry shout is muffled by the fact that the mouthpiece of Arabella's phone is pressed to her chest, although they can hear him nonetheless.

By now, customers were staring at the twins.

"Sorry…" they glance around shamefacedly. They were only met with glares of hurried shoppers.

"Arabella! Blair! She is your sister. You better find her before I get my hands on you because it won't be pretty. Then you both are grounded! For two months! No _buts_…I don't want to hear it." Then Tristan hangs up on them.

"Shit," they say as they look at each other. Then they race out of the store and into their convertible.

**333**

"What kind of ice cream would you like Aurora?"

"Green tea," Aurora answers.

"Okay. I'll have two scoops of each of the following: green tea, the old-standby chocolate, and toffee," Lorelai says matter-of-factly to the kindly woman behind the ice cream counter.

As they are handed their ice cream Aurora asks Avery, "Where are my sisters?"

Avery sympathizes, "I don't know sweetie. But we'll bring you home."

Aurora smiles, "You're my bestest best friend. Better than Emma Elizabeth because she doesn't give me ice cream when I'm over. All we can eat are carrot sticks. She says her mommy wants her on a diet." Aurora looks studious for a moment, and then asks, "What's a _diet_?"

Lorelai laughs, "It's something you shouldn't have to worry about."

**333**

"Hehe…Daddy lost…I won…."

"Yep, you won…again….Are you cheating?"

"No!" Aiden looks shocked.

"Lets play again!" Logan jr. shouts. "I'll beat daddy!"

**333**

Just as Tristan gets off the phone with the spa who was less than helpful, his doorbell rings.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter Five**

When Tristan answers the door his heart swells in his chest. He knows that sounds like a Hallmark card or a cliché (which usually goes hand-in-hand) but at the sight of Rory and his little girl is too much.

"Hi Tristan," Rory says.

"Daddy!" Aurora shouts as she races into his arms. "Guess what?"

Tristan is crouched to Aurora's height and stares into her eyes. "What?"

"Grandma Lorelai…"

_Grandma Lorelai_? Where the _hell_ does Rory get off?

"Grandma Lorelai?" Tristan asks his daughter. He looks up at Rory, as she shrugs.

"Trust me. Not _my_ idea."

"Daddy…" Aurora begins to whine as she tugs on his wrinkled dress shirt. "You're not listening to _me_…"

Tristan is staring at Rory as Rory continues staring at Tristan who are totally oblivious of his daughter.

Aurora continues as if nothing is changing. "And Grandma Lorelai took us out for ice cream. I had Green tea! It was good! I like Grandma Lorelai. Can I visit her again? She promised me more ice cream. Says Gilmore girls have ice cream all the time, and I remind her of one. Of a Gilmore girl, just like her!"

Tristan looks angrily at Rory, "I'm sure you do, sweetie. Would you go inside, please? Daddy needs to talk to _Grandma Lorelai's_ daughter."

Rory picked up on his sarcasm.

**333**

"You know…" Nathan says, "Beyond the Galaxy club, Yearbook, debate team…"

"Yeah, I know. But why _her_?" Adam asks, kind of jealous. He was planning on asking her to prom. "Come on man, you can't ask Avery out. She's…well…she's…_unsocial_…"

"Is that even a word?" Nathan asks his friend.

"_Obviously_…Buddy, I'm the one with straight A's. You might want to listen to me once in a while."

"If you're the one with straight A's, shouldn't you be best friends with Avery by now?"

"I mean, _I like her_, but she's not really _your_ type. _You know_, you like them dumb, blonde, and beautiful."

**333**

After the twins calm down a little they race back to the spa.

"Have you seen our little sister? The girl that was playing in the corner?" The twins try to speed talk. The receptionist looks up at them, bored, less than happy that they two most high maintenance, _pain-in-the-ass_ customers have returned.

The receptionist chomps on her bubble gum. "I don't know. I think this lady with a teenage girl took her home. _Gilmore _something, I think. Anyways, you should thank them for saving your ass. Your father already called."

"Seriously?" Blair asks her incredulously, hands on her hips. "You let her go with strangers?"

"Hey," the receptionist looks up from her magazine. "You guys were the ones to leave her here. We're not a babysitting service, and she seemed to know the girl."

"Fine," Blair bitches and the girls race to the car and drive home.

**333**

"Come on guys, just do daddy a favour and get in the car. _Please_…."

"We don't want to!" the boys shout.

Logan tries to bribe them. "If you get in the car within the next three seconds I'll be you boys a new game."

Both boys hightail it into Logan's sleek silver Mercedes, and Logan smiles.

Logan hands them both the new vocabulary game for their DS that he was saving to give them for Christmas this year. It wasn't out yet, but he _knows_ people. _And so does his father_. Sometimes the Huntzberger name comes in handy. He smiles as the reward is complete silence (aside from the beeping) on the way back to the Gilmore residence.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter Six**

Nathan considers himself a lot of things, but _stupid_ isn't one of them. Maybe he inherited his _bullshit_ radar from his mother. He heard that when his parents were dating, which was like, forever ago and a day, that his mother played hard to get (most certainly like another brunette that his father was or should he say is, found of). That certainly got his attention and surprisingly they fell in love.

After meeting Rory, he realizes that she must be the brunette in all those Chilton pictures his father hid in his desk drawer. He knew that his father was an amateur photographer back in the day, but thought that she was just some random on his way to his mother. Nathan doubts that his father knew he _knew_ about the photographs. He doubts Rory knew about those either. His father used to be head-over-heels for this girl and she shattered his heart into a million pieces. He wanted to get back at the Gilmore's for making him question his father's intentions with his mother. Could his mother have simply been his father's version of Rory (the one he couldn't have)? If it was the last thing he would do (in high school, that is, he was going to make the Gilmores' pay). And he would enjoy doing it.

**333**

"Nate?" Adam asks as he waves his hand in front of his friend's face, "Yo Nate? You still _here_?"

Nate snaps out of his trance. "Huh? Yeah, sorry."

"We were talking about Avery."

Adam starts to blush slightly. "You can't take Avery."

Nathan looks confused. "Why not? And why are you blushing, man?"

Adam, embarrassed, punches him in the arm. "I'm _not_ blushing. The truth..." he looks his friend straight in the eye, "is that I really like her. I want to ask her to the prom."

Nathan laughs, "That's a joke, right?"

**333**

"How...dare you...make _my daughter_ call _your mother_ grandma!" Tristan was shaking with anger.

Rory's eyes grow wide. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize that my mom would do that. Honestly. I would never have suggested that."

"What?" snaps Tristan.

"I wasn't there, Tristan. I couldn't have stopped her, and before we place blame, you should remember that it's your twins who misplaced your youngest daughter. Plus, who takes their kid sister to a spa where the staff will hand her off to the first stranger who asks?"

"Yeah, well, trust me. I'm going to hit that spa with a lawsuit so long they won't know what hit them."

"I realize you're angry, Tristan. It wasn't very responsible of Arabella and Blair to leave Aurora without proper supervision, but who is it you're really angry at? Them, or you?"

"Seriously? You're a parent, and you're going to ask me that question? Of course, I'm angry at myself. And them. I'm really angry at them. Really angry...they're going to be grounded...that's what I'm going to do...ground them..."

"Tristan," Rory says tenderly, gently placing her hand on his arm. "Aren't you overreacting, just a little?"

"Are you fucking serious?" Tristan shakes with anger again.

"I'm sorry. I just..."

"You didn't think, did you?" Tristan shrugs her hand off of him. "Get your hand off of me!"

"Tristan..." Rory says with concern.

"You can leave..." Tristan tells her, already turning inside.

"Tristan!" Rory shouts at him angrily. "Don't walk away from me! I'm talking to you!"

Tristan turns around, "Yeah, well, now you aren't." He slams the door behind him. Resting on the door with his hands on his face in shame, his daughter looks up at him.

"Daddy...Daddy..." Aurora tugs at his jeans. "Daddy, what's wrong?"

He bends down. "I think I hurt someone's feelings that I like a lot."

"Oh, Daddy. You're so silly." Tristan smiles at his daughter's misunderstanding. His error in judgment wasn't silly, it was downright stupid. Especially if he ever planned on seeing her again.

Rory was already in the car with the engine started when Tristan swings open his door and runs towards her car. "Rory!" he calls out. She ignores him. "Rory!"

Tristan makes the roll down your windows sign. Reluctantly, she complies.

"What?" Rory snaps.

"Wou...would you like to have coffee with me?"

"Huh?"

"Would you like to have coffee with me? Now, perhaps?"

Rory glares at him. "I can't believe you'll ask me to coffee, but you won't address the elephant in the room. You should apologize before you make your move. Goodbye, Tristan..." She starts the car and begins to roll up the window, when she stops and says sarcastically, "Oh, and by the way, thanks Rory for dropping my daughter off at home instead of leaving her at the spa you are planning on suing!"

With that, Rory rolls up the window, backs out of his driveway and speeds away. She gets as far as the end of the block, before she drives in a circle and winds up back at his place again.

Standing in front of his doorway, she rings the doorbell. He answers it, not really expecting the visitor to be Rory.

"Oh," Tristan says amused, "you're back."

"I'm back. I can't really refuse coffee, can I?"

"Is that the only reason?" he asks, as he lets her into his house.

"Well, I had to see for myself, Tristan Dugrey as a loving father. It's something I never would have pictured before today."

"Come on," Tristan guides Rory into his kitchen with a gentle push on her lower back.

"You know," Rory says softly, "I never imagined when we were in high school that you would grow up to be so responsible and have such lovely children."

"Hey, stranger things have happened, Rory."

"Oh yeah? Like what?"

"Like I would fall in love with an amazing woman, only to have her die seven years later."

Rory's face fell. "You know, at least you had those seven amazing years together. That should count for something."

Tristan smiles, "I wish I was nicer to you in high school. Then I would have gotten this wisdom every day."

"Tristan, wisdom comes with age," Rory explains.

"Doesn't everything," he whispers under his breath.

**333**

The twins slam the door shut and race upstairs to their sister's room. They see Aurora, safe and sound, staring at the television, as if entranced by the show _Kim Possible_.

They let out a collective sigh and hug her at once.

"Oh my god," they both exclaim. "We are _so_, _so_ sorry Aurora!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter Seven**

The twins walk shamefully down the stairs towards their father in the kitchen. When he sees his older girls he gets angry.

"How the _fuck_ could you leave your little sister at a salon?" he yells at them. "You are supposed to be looking out for her, and instead, Rory and her family was nice enough to get her back to us!"

The twins blush in embarrassment and whisper, "We're sorry."

"Damn right your sorry. I'm taking away your credit cards for a month. Try living off what's in your bank account…" Tristan sneers. "You'll see you won't get very far."

"Maybe its time for you to get jobs."

The twins stare at him in horror. "But _daddy_…"

Rory watched the twins leave the room in shame. It is only then that she voices her opinion to Tristan. She walks over to him who was shaken up a bit. She touches his arm and says softly, "Don't you think you were a little harsh with them?"

Tristan whirls around and shouts at her, "They could have lost my little girl! F_orgetting_ their sister to go shopping is not an excuse!"

Rory looks at him in shock. She is speechless and Tristan realizes that the person he is most angry at is himself. He is the one who let Aurora go to the spa with her two absent-minded sisters. He should have known better. But it is too late and in shock Rory runs from the house. On the way out she bumps into Nathan.

Nathan looks back at Rory and shakes his head. _Wow, what a nut job_, he thinks. _If Avery is anything like her mother I want no part of her family_. He walks into the kitchen where his father is staring into space still holding the expensive vanilla flavoured coffee.

"Dad?"

"Huh?" he asks.

"Are you okay?"

"What? Oh, yeah."

"What did you say to Avery's mom that made her run so fast?"

Tristan still looks out of it as he replies, "…just like the kiss…"

"What?"

**333**

"Do you actually think he's going to take away our credit cards," Blair asks Arabella.

"I don't see why not."

"Do you think he would actually make us get jobs?" Arabella asks Blair as they both cringe in disgust.

"God, I hope not. That would be such a tragedy to our shopping skills."

Blair, since she was a tiny tot, wanted to be a lawyer. But now she thinks she has loftier ambitions; she is determined to be a personal shopper. She remembers telling Arabella that work would be all play and less work.

They look at each other when they hear their father's footsteps on the stairs.

**333**

Rory drives home to Stars Hollow in record time. She supposes that her anger spurs her to drive faster than the speed limit. She is lucky that the police and Taylor aren't around at the time. Because that was all she would need; Taylor and his overly protective safety measures, plus the three-fifty she would be made to pay to his historical Stars Hollow society.

The boys were still with their father and her mother was sitting on the couch googling herself when Rory sweeps through the door.


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter Eight**

"I hear footsteps," whispers Arabella.

"Me too," her sister whispers back.

"Hide?" they ask each other wide-eyed.

They wink at each other signaling their retreat into _the_ secret hiding place. They use it whenever their parents were being psycho. This was their safe haven; a place in the house that even their older brother couldn't find. And that was a foreign concept now-a-days when he was trying to hide his stash of porn mags from his sisters and his father.

The passageway was from their bedroom closet. They even bought a lock to prevent anyone from opening the door. What they didn't count on was their father, their very upset father, to be sitting on their newly acquired set of antique furniture (wicker chair, oak table and matching chair set).

"So this is where you two go when you're upset with me?" he asks them, shaking his head sadly.

"How?" Blair shakes her head.

"Your mother used to come in here when I was driving her crazy. Especially when she was pregnant and anything I said was ammunition for being locked out of the house. Then, she used to come in here and sleep on the floor because it was cool." Tristan smiled at the memories of his late wife, which were flooding back. "She used to sing lullabies at the walls, and whisper at how she wanted to paint the room canary yellow and make it your brother's room when he was born. She used to take you girls in here, and you'd quiet right down. It was amazing what your mother could do. And now I feel like I'm failing you."

The girls look at each other, a single tear threatening to fall down their cheek. "_No_ Daddy…" they whisper together, "you haven't failed us…"

Tristan's hands cover his face, and his voice breaks. "I need to teach you responsibility. I _won't _let you end up like your aunt and I. I simply won't." His voice is of steely resolve now. "No. You will find jobs tomorrow and I'm cutting off your trust funds for now."

"_But_…"

Tristan stands up, brushes off his jeans, and opens the _other_ door, which leads to Aurora's walk in closet. The girls just stare at him in disbelief. One half couldn't believe that he'd make them get jobs and the other can't believe he actually found where they were hiding.

**333**

Nathan smiles as he remembers his comeback to Adam.

"You seriously like Avery?"

"Don't you?" Adam asked in all seriousness.

Nathan looks him straight in the eye. "Hell no. I just want to have sex with her."

"You're kind of a pig, you know that, right?" Adam tells him with disgust.

"Has anyone told you you're kind of sensitive?" Nathan smirks. Adam walks away, pissed.

**333**

Nathan just shakes his head as he remembers Avery's mother brushing up against him as she runs away. It brought back memories to his first year of high school. Everyone was nervous, everyone was excited, and everyone was scared. Well, except for him. He was certain he'd be school jock, he'd get all the girls, he'd make B- grades. His friends love him, the teachers love him, and most importantly, the _girls_ love him. He is also pretty certain that a couple boys love him too.

Although Avery is Adam's type—brainiac _galore_, she seems too pretty for him somehow. She had inherited her mother's dark brown hair and electric blue eyes. But she had her father's nose and her grandmother's chin. She was a weird combination, and although desperately wanted to hurt somebody for the way Rory made his father feel, he couldn't hurt the daughter. It wasn't fair. Not really. It was weird. He never cared for fairness before.

**333**

The next morning both Arabella and Blair sat at their respective computers staring at the blank computer screen before them.

"Do you have any clue what to do?" Blair asks.

"Nope."

"Ask…Nate?"

"Hell no!"

"What do we do?"

The minutes turn into an hour and they remained planted in their seats.

"What are you doing?" Nate asks, as Aurora gets fidgety in his arms.

"Resume."

Nathan's laugh was so loud that it rang throughout the entire top floor of their home. He had to put Aurora down because he lost his breath.

"I didn't think dad would do that to you."

"He said that he didn't want us to end up like him and Aunt Elizabeth."

Nate says sarcastically, "Too late."

**333**

"Okay, so you're tucked in. What next?"

"Will you sing?"

"What?"

"Daddy sings Abba to me."

Nate looks incredulously at her. "There is _nooooo_ way. Sorry."

"Please…" she looks at him with puppy dog eyes.

"Bella! Blair! Get in here!" Nate yells.


	9. Chapter 9

**Note**: The song, which I've begun the chapter with is sung by American Idol winner David Cook, called _Dream Big_.

**Chapter Nine**

**Two weeks before prom…**

"Avery?"

She looks up from her engrossing book and sees Adam standing before her. She smiles.

"Hi Adam. What's up?"

He looks down at the floor, embarrassed. "I know that my friends haven't been very nice to you lately, but I hope that won't bias you on your answer."

"My answer?" she asks, puzzled.

"Will you come to prom with me as my date?"

Avery grins. "Of course!"

When Adam turns to leave Avery pumps her arm in the air in victory. She was hoping that he would invite her to prom as his date. Besides Nathan, she always liked Adam. Especially since he is the only one who is nice to her.

**Prom Night**

"If you don't dream big, what's the use in dreaming? If you don't have faith, there's nothing worth believing. It takes one hope to make the stars worth reaching for. So reach out for something more," Avery sings to herself as she twirls, waiting for her nails to dry.

Logan sighs. He can't believe that _his_ baby girl is growing up so fast. _Or_ that its been _years_ since he's seen her this happy. Rory wraps her arms around the back of his neck. "Your daughter is growing up," she whispers. "She has a date."

"Yeah? Who is this guy? Should I be afraid?"

"Oh, calm down, Mr. Father figure, he's _cool_. Approved by all members of my family."

Logan smirks. "That's your mother."

"Shouldn't she count for something?"

"Your mother's a nut case."

"_Hey_, I _heard_ that mister!"

Avery, having just stepped out of the bathroom sees a flash of light and her father proudly relinquishing the camera to his ex-wife.

Suddenly Avery stops dead, a deer-caught-in-the-headlights look, turning into anger. "What are you _doing_?"

"Are you embarrassed?" Logan asks. "You're too sensitive like your mother."

"_So_, that's _my_ fault? It's you two that had…and…"

Logan cuts her off. "I love you, babe. And you look beautiful."

Nathan opens the bottle of expensive champagne that his father kept hidden in the very back, almost obscured, corner of his whiskey cabinet. The stuff instantly goes flat and his date is _not_ impressed. "You promised me the expensive stuff," she whines.

Adam just rolls his eyes. "You picked a _real_ winner," he says sarcastically. Not picking up on the sarcasm, Nathan's date, Elle says sweetly, "That is such a nice thing to say. Thanks!" This makes Nathan want to gag, but he slides his arm across her shoulders. After all, she is really hot and he has a feeling that in spirit of prom she'll have sex with him.

As they pull up in front of the Gilmore house, Adam looks like he is going to be sick. "I don't know if I can do this…I _feel_ sick…"

"Okay, you two stay here, and I'll go get her. You just…_well_…here," he says, disgusted, handing Adam a paper bag.

From inside the house, Rory and her mother peer through the window. "Why is no-one getting out of the car?"

Five minutes later, a tall haired boy, steps out of the vehicle and starts walking towards the house. Rory and Lorelai immediately drop the curtains and sit on the couch excited. "Oh my god, is that him?" Lorelai asks.

But Rory is confused. She could have sworn that Avery said she was going with Adam, and yet, here is Tristan's son, ready to pick her up.

"Avery, sweetie, he's here!" Nathan can hear her grandmother yelling from within the house.

Before he even has to knock, Rory opens the door. "What service," Nathan smiles. "Is she ready yet?"

Avery's smile immediately disappears when she hears the voice. That isn't Adam. Where the _hell_ is Adam? She doesn't want her parents to believe that she has actually been stood up, so she starts walking towards the stairs. She will pretend that Nathan's her date, although, they've barely said two words to each other since _that _day.

_That day (in tenth grade)_

When the bell rings at two forty-five pm, she escapes to the girls' washroom. In her hurry she doesn't notice Nathan watching her from a distance. But when she emerges five minutes later he is leaning against the doorframe to the washroom, a smirk resting on his tired looking face.

"You look tired," Avery comments.

"You keep me up at night," he replies.

"How so?"

"Just by being you. You look beautiful, by the way."

Avery looks at him suspiciously. "I'm wearing a sweatshirt that my grandmother bought me. How beautiful can I be?"

Nathan looks at her. She can tell he _really_ looks at her. "More than you'll ever know." He presses his body into hers, and she can feel his arousal.

"I have to meet my dad now."

"You want me to meet your dad?"

"No. I have to go. I'm meeting him out front."

"Let me come with you."

"What?"

"Let me come with you."

"I heard you before. But what's made you change your mind about me?"

"What do you mean?"

"Why do you suddenly like me?"

Nathan looks as if he's contemplating his answer for a little bit. "I've _always_ liked you…its been complicated…"

"You mean, your friends think I'm a loser."

"Well, yes."

"That wasn't complicated now, was it?"

Nathan smiles. "No, I guess it wasn't."

"See you around."

"See you around."


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter Ten**

**The Prom, continued**

_Right now, staring at her_.

Avery carefully steps down the stairs and into the front hall. As she approaches, she hears Nathan again, before she sees him.

"So you're Adam?" she hears her father ask him.

"Oh…no, Mr. Huntzberger. Adam's a friend of mine. He's waiting in the car. He's feeling a little car sick."

"I'd like some pictures of my daughter with her date."

"I…" Avery starts to say.

They turn around and Avery swears she hears him suck in his breath.

"You look amazing, sweetie," says her mother.

She thinks she also hears Nathan whisper beautiful, but she can't be sure. He seems mesmerized by her beauty, which is weird since he's never really seemed to care that much before. After _that_ day, he completely ignored her. It was their second year of high school and she hadn't talked to him until that day in the hospital.

Avery twirls for her grandparents and her parents. He watches her twirl in her sexy red dress. It is strapless, flowing and ends just below her knees. Her red pointy heels compliment her beautiful legs, and her two little brothers run around, chasing each other in a game of cat and mouse. But the most amazing part was her beautiful, thick, wavy brown hair, and her electric blue eyes that sparkle when she laughs.

He steps forward and pulls her into his arm. She giggles as her father takes an impromptu picture of the two of them. He twirls her around and she can hear more clicks of the camera. This was how she imagined her prom to be, but _never_ in a million years thought that it would _actually_ be like this. She figured that this must be a dream she's having conjured up by Queen Mab. Finally, after what seems like a million and one shots of the two of them, they leave the house and enter the limo.

"What took you so long?" Elle asks him.

"Hi Adam," Avery says, sliding in beside him. "Are you feeling better?"

"No…"

"You really look…_green_. Maybe we should take you home."

"And you miss your big date? I think _not_," Adam replies.

"What's a cover letter?" asks Blair to Arabella.

"Umm…I think its when you…umm…"

"You have _no idea_, do you?"

After he saw his son tonight dressed in his old black suit, it brought him back to the days of Chilton and watching Rory dance in her beautiful blue dress. He leans back in his chair resting his feet on his desk, loosens his tie, opens his bottle of expensive bourbon (he was planning on saving until he retired), and took out his old pictures of Rory.

As the limo starts to move again, Adam leans across Avery to give her a peck on the cheek when he throws up into her lap.

"Gross!" exclaims Elle.

The limo starts to smell and Adam looks so apologetic, Avery couldn't help but forgive him.

"I'm _really, really_ sorry," he apologizes profusely.

"It's okay."

"I've ruined your night."

"No you haven't."

"Oh my God, I have."

Avery cups his face with her hands, and staring into his earnest green eyes says, "Adam, you have _not_ ruined my prom. Just get better, okay?"

He could only nod, as he climbs out from the limo, and into the cool night hair towards his house.

Avery turns to the other two. "I'm sure you want to get to the prom, so if you could just drop me off at home…"

Nathan turns to look at her. "We aren't going to the prom."

Elle's eyes widen in shock. "We aren't?"

"No. I'm dropping you off at the prom and then I'm going for a walk."

"What about me?" Avery asks.

"You can come with me if you want."

Elle looks angry. "You promised that you'd go to the prom with me! You promised!"

Nathan shrugs. "It wasn't meant to be, I guess."

And that was the end of that. He drops Elle off at the prom alone, fuming, but only for a second as she spots Joel, her ex-boyfriend, who was giving her _the eye_, and then they disappear together.

"So I guess it's just you and me."

"I guess so," Avery replies awkwardly.

"Do you want to go home?" Nathan asks her.

"Not really. Do you?"

"Not really." Nathan looks at her dress disgustedly. "Let's get you out of those clothes."

"I didn't bring a spare."

"You can wear my shirt."

It was awkward, but they managed to contain all of Adam's vomit within her dress and put it in a plastic bag. Nathan tells the driver to keep driving and rolls up the window between them. Avery feels completely naked in front of him even though she is wearing his shirt. She smells it.

"It smells like you."

"You mean it smells like my father."

"No. Like _you_."

Nathan leans the length of his body against her, making her wrap her arms around the back of his neck. He kisses the crook of her neck.

"We can't do this," Avery whispers.

"Why not?"

"Because we're in a limo."

"Relax. Have fun. Enjoy the ride."

"Is that supposed to be a pun?" she asks him.

"Do you want it to be?"

The clock strikes three am and Avery still isn't home. Rory makes more coffee and is tempted to call all of Avery's friends, but realizes how late (or early) it is, and thinks that she is probably still out with Adam having fun. At three twelve in the morning she hears the limo pull up in front of the house, and setting down her cup of coffee stands in the doorway as Nathan and Avery run up to the house laughing.

When they reach the door they see Rory, practically in tears, standing in front of them.

"Where the _hell_ have you been?" Rory's voice becomes low and murderous.

"We've been around," Avery giggles.

"Are you drunk?" Rory asks incredulously.

"Maybe," Avery answers, giggling some more, "a little."

"Why are you wearing his shirt? Did you have sex?"

"God, _mother_, can't you be a little less like Great Grandma Gilmore for once. She may be dead, but her legacy hasn't been forgotten."

Avery pushes past her mother and steps into the house. Nathan looks like he was about to say something, but the laser eye glare that Rory is giving him makes him shut his mouth. She closes the door behind her and that is that. He is officially dismissed.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter Eleven**

**Note**: There is going to be a huge change in the next couple of chapters, so if you've read this before you might want to read it again.

_Hint_: It won't be so tragic. Although for some of the characters it might not be a happy ending. Just warning you now.

Logan, Rory, Lorelai, Luke, Tristan, Arabella, Blair and Nathan are sitting in the Gilmore living room. They've been sitting there for what seems like hours, but it really has only been a few minutes. Avery has called them all together because she has a big announcement to make. Everyone looks at each other wondering what it is.

Avery stands alone in the front of the room and sighs a big sigh. "I'm pregnant."

Logan and Tristan choke on their beers. Rory shrieks. Lorelai looks dismayed and Luke looks like Luke.

Arabella and Blair start bouncing around screaming excitedly "We're going to be aunts!"

And Nathan, well, Nathan just sits there staring at her.

He whispers. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure," she whispers back to him.

"For how long?" her mother's voice breaks their moment.

"Excuse me?"

"How long have you been pregnant?"

"The doctor thinks about five weeks."

Rory starts to cry. "You _lied_ to me."

"I _lied_ to you," Avery whispers and starts to cry as well.

She hates having to watch her mother cry. She hates that her father and grandparents are disappointed in her. She hates that Nathan isn't saying anything. And she hates that she feels this is all her fault, and Nathan is being let off easy. Especially by her family and his father.

But she drifts off to a land called daydream…

**Prom Night**

"Avery." Nathan holds her chin in one hand and twists her whole head to face him. He says her name seriously.

"Ouch, you're hurting me." She averts her eyes.

"Avery," he pleads, "look at me."

"No," she whispers shyly.

"Look at me!" he shouts.

"Stop it!"

"Avery….Avery, I _love_ you."

"Wha…what?"

"Look at me." Avery looks at him. "I love you."

For minutes the back of the limo is blanketed with complete silence. Then Avery giggles. She hides her face against Nathan's chest.

"I've…"

"What?"

"I've wanted to hear you say that for so long, but have resigned myself to believing that it is just not meant to be. And now…and now, I'm not so sure I want to hear it from you."

"Why not?" he asks, his curiosity growing.

Avery lifts her head so she is staring into his eyes. "Because I'm not so sure that you believe it."

The limo is silent again.

"I think," she says, "your just jealous of your friend, Adam."

"Maybe…" He nuzzled his face against her chest.

"Hey…hey!" Avery giggles. "Stop that!"

Nathan lifts his head a little to slide his hand from the small of her back to her side and up to her breast.

"Nate," she whispers. "Nate…hmm…"

In return she moves her hands up his muscular arms, sliding them underneath his jacket, up to his shoulders, lifting it off. She holds him close to her, so he can hear her heart beating.

Normally, this wasn't his style. He would normally just rip off the girl's clothes and they'd go at it, but Avery is different. He wants to remember her differently. He wants it to be special; not just for her, but for him too.

As he kisses her neck, he begins to undo the buttons of her shirt (well, his shirt). She arches her back a little. She is naked, except for her black boy-short underwear. She digs her fingers into his back (he is just glad that she didn't have long finger nails like most girls do). Then she slides her hands down his back and towards the front of his pants. He can feel the movement of her hand undoing the zipper, and sliding the pants down his legs. He is just wearing boxer shorts now.

She smiles up at him; a cautious smile, so he wasn't sure whether it is one of pleasure or one of nervousness or both. He hopes it is both.

"I'm scared," she whispers to him.

"I'll take care of you."

**333**

When Tristan calms down he asks Avery, "What would you like us to do?"

"Well," she begins seriously. "I've thought of abortion, but that is totally out of the question. I don't even want to hear it from any of you. I am having this baby whether any of you wants it or not. Right now, I'm thinking of adoption, but I'm not sure yet. My doctor says that I still have time. She says that there are many families who are willing to adopt. Sort of like the one in _Juno_."

"_Juno_?" Rory asks. "Whose Juno?"

"The movie," Lorelai presses. "How can you not remember it? You were sitting right beside us in the movie theatre."

"Why are we talking about movies when we should be talking about what the _hell_ I'm going to be doing _now_?" Nathan asks upset.

Avery turns to him. "Do you _seriously_ think that this only affects you? What about me? What about what I'm going to be going through the next eight months? What about me?"

Avery sinks to the floor in tears and the twins fly to her side and try to cheer her up.

"If you decide to keep the baby," begins Blair.

"We'll babysit!" offers Arabella. "For _free_!"

"Girls!" snaps Tristan. "Shut up!"

**One in the morning (on the day **_**after**_** prom)**

She is sleeping peacefully in his arms when they pass by a beach. He knocks on the driver's window.

"Stop here," he says quietly.

He shakes Avery awake. "What?" she asks groggily.

"Let's go for a walk."

She puts on his shirt, and begins searching for her shoes.

"No need," he whispers. "Sand."

The night air is refreshing after having been cooped up in the car for so long.

"It's beautiful out tonight, isn't it?"

"Yes," he looks down at her.

"I had a fun time."

"Me too," she smiles up at him. "But _this_ isn't going to happen again."

"I know."

They walk for half-an-hour in complete silence, just listening to the sounds of the waves crashing against the rocks.

"What time is it?" Avery asks him.

He looks at his watch. "Around one-forty."

She looks panic-stricken.

"What's wrong?"

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god…"

He turns her around so he can face her and sees tears streaming down her face.

"You _need_ to take me home now!"

"What?"

"I promised my mother I'd be home forty minutes ago!"

"I'm sure she'll think that you went to a party or something and…" he trails off when he sees the look of fear on her face. "I'll take you home."

"Thank you."

**333**

Tristan looks over at his son and knows what he has to do.

"Avery," he says. "We will contribute financially to whatever you decide to do. _But_," he continues, "my son is to stay out of your business."

"What?" everyone else shouts in shock.

Lorelai is standing in front of Tristan. "What about my granddaughter? What about what _your_ son has done to _my_ granddaughter?"

Nathan stands up not wanting to hear any more. He walks into the kitchen.

"Your son seduced our daughter!" cries Rory. "Don't you think he should take responsibility?"

In the kitchen Nathan opens the fridge to be greeted by moldy cheese and day-old pizza.

"Looking for something?" asks Avery, from behind.

"Just beer. Something to drive the edge off."

"That's anxiety."

Logan yells for everyone to shut up already. Everyone sits down and is silent.

"You," he points at Tristan. "Take your family and leave. If I hear that your son has said one word, I mean, one word to our daughter then you'll be hearing from our lawyers. You know," he thinks, "you may be hearing from them anyways."

Tristan beckons his girls to get ready to leave when he asks them, "Where's Nathan?"

"In the kitchen with Avery," shrugs the twins.

Everyone hightails it to the kitchen, but halts at the door from the sight they are met with.

"I know," whispers Nathan. "But aren't you scared?"

"Of course I am!" exclaims Avery. "I'm the one carrying this baby, aren't I?"

"Come here," beckons Nathan. "Dance with me."

"There isn't any music," states Avery.

"This is the song my mother used to sing to me when I was little. _If you've been thinking your all that you've got, then don't feel alone anymore. Cause when we're together then you've got a lot, for I am the river and you are the shore_."

Avery steps into his arms and presses herself close to him so she can smell the fresh citrus of his cologne. His arms wrap around her waist as she rests her hands around the base of his neck.

"_And it goes on and on…watching the river run…further and further from things that we've done. Leaving them one by one…and we have just begun watching the river run, listening and learning and yearning, run river run_…"

Tristan's heart melts. He knows what love feels like and looks like and is saddened that he has to ruin it.

"Nate?"

He looks up.

"We have to go now."

Nathan kisses Avery's forehead and whispers goodbye.

**Two weeks after graduation**

"I'm leaving for Europe in a week!" exclaims Nathan excitedly, as he holds Avery in his arms.

"What?" she looks up at him.

"Yeah, Tristan says that I need to have more adventures. So, in a week I'm packing my things and am going backpacking for two months and then I'm off to Princeton."

"I'm sorry," Avery is shaking her head in confusion. "What about the baby?"

Nathan answers puzzled. "Didn't my father tell you he'll pay for it?"

"Excuse me!" Avery shouts. "He'll PAY FOR IT?"

She suddenly sits upright and stares at him. "HE'S GOING TO PAY FOR OUR BABY?"

She starts to cry. "What the fuck does that mean?" she asks defeatedly.

Nathan stands up to leave. He looks pained. "Just call me when the baby's due."

"Yes," she chokes. "Goodbye."


	12. Chapter 12

**Note**: The song is called "To Be With You." I can't remember the original artist, but I think it's by Mr. Big. I think. The version that I'm listening to is the one sung by Westlife.

**Chapter Twelve**

_Six years later…_

"Here comes the bride," sings Madison. "All dressed in white…"

"Come here!" Avery says as she chases her daughter up and down the aisle. When she is caught they both begin giggling.

"Tickle monster! Tickle monster!" screams Madison. "Help me!"

"Maybe I can help," says a deep voice.

Avery freezes when she looks up.

"Stay away! Don't touch her! Don't touch me!" she shrieks at him.

"Mommy!" cries Madison, as Avery swings her out of reach of him, but in the process bangs her knee against the pews.

She swings her around so that her tiny body is resting in her arms and Madison's face is snuggled into her chest.

"Don't come near us," Avery warns him as she turns to leave the church.

He begins to say something, but is cut off.

"I don't want to hear it."

**333**

"You look beautiful mom," Avery tells Rory. "I can't believe that you and Tristan are getting married after all this time. It used to give me hope, once upon a time…"

"Oh," Rory's face looks fallen. "I forgot to tell you that Tristan invited Nathan to the wedding and he accepted his invitation."

"I know," Avery says. "We saw him."

"He knows that Madison's his daughter, you know. Tristan told him."

"I could only imagine that he would," replies Avery. "But that doesn't mean he gets to be a part of our lives."

"Tristan would like him to be."

"Tristan doesn't get a say in what happens. He was the one that kept us apart. So, even though I love him, he doesn't get to tell me whether Nathan gets to be a part of our lives or not. I choose. And Madison chooses. _Not_ Tristan and definitely _not_ Nathan."

"If you want it to be that way," Rory tells her daughter skeptically. "But don't you think that Madison deserves a father?"

"Don't guilt trip me," Avery says angrily. "He hasn't been around for six years. He missed out."

"You still love him," Rory tells her softly. "And he still loves you."

"Don't tell me who I love!" Avery shouts.

The door opens and Luke pops his head in. "What is going on?" he asks in concern.

"Nothing," we say together. But Madison's squirming in my arms must have proven otherwise.

"Avery," Luke says seriously, "Your mother only wants the best for you and for Madison."

"I know," Avery says shamefully, "but Madison is my whole life. I can't live without her."

"Nobody is asking you to," Luke tells her sagely. "We are only asking you to consider her well being in the process. She needs a father."

As Avery walks down the aisle she struggles to smile even though all she can think about is the man who is standing in front of her. Not her soon-to-be-stepfather, but Nathan, her soon to be stepbrother and Madison's father. She feels herself tripping over the carpet with her heels, but leans to the right and places her hand on the back of the pew to steady herself. Tristan's smile falters a little when he sees her about to fall, but resists the urge to run to her side to help her. Avery continues walking and when she reaches her destination she giggles quietly with her soon-to-be stepsisters who are her fellow bridesmaids. But she refuses to look over at Nathan who is standing beside his father, acting as best man.

There is a hush in the room as the wedding march starts and Rory begins to walk down the aisle with Luke.

"Grammy's pretty!" comments Madison as Rory walks by her.

Rory stops and gives her granddaughter a kiss on the forehead. "I love you sweetie."

"I love you, Grammy."

Avery watches this exchange with pride.

Lorelai whispers something in her ear and she giggles. The whole crowd laughs with her, except Nathan.

Avery is sitting with her daughter at the dinner table when Nathan sits down beside her.

"Don't…"

"Just listen," he says. "You never called me when she was born." He nods at Madison.

"I didn't think you deserved to know," Avery says angrily.

"I'm her F-A-T-H-E-R," Nathan spells out.

"Yes. But you aren't her D-A-D-D-Y," she replies.

After the first dance her mother and his father walk over to them.

"Congratulations!" they tell them as they both give them hugs.

"You know," Tristan says deviously. "You should dance together. Now that we're _family_."

"I don't…"

"Alright," Nathan responds as he gives her his hand.

"I don't…" Avery tells her mother.

"Go on…" her mother encourages. "I'll watch Madison."

"I've seen pictures of her," Nathan comments as he intertwines the fingers of her right hand with his.

"Good for you," she says with disinterest.

"I'm trying to be friendly. I'm really trying."

"I could care less," Avery says as she rests her head on his shoulder.

"I've missed you."

"Do we need to go through this all night? You aren't going to meet your daughter."

"I just…I want us to be a family."

"She already has a family."

"She needs a father," he argues.

"What if she already has one?"

"Oh yeah, like who?"

"May I cut in?" asks Adam.

**A week after Nathan leaves for Europe**

"Avery?"

Avery looks around the grocery store for the person who said her name.

"Adam?" she asks in surprise.

"Yeah."

"Oh my god, how have you been?"

"Good, good. I heard what happened between you and Nate."

She looks upset. "I'm sorry Adam. If it's any consolation, I really liked you."

"Oh no," he says. "I'm not upset. I really liked you too. But I'm happy for you, if you're happy for yourself."

"I am," she says quickly. "At least I think I am."

"So, what do you have on your shopping list?" Adam asks, changing the subject.

**333**

"How?" Nathan looks angry. "How could you?"

Nathan's breathing became laboured and his fists were clenched.

"Nathan," Avery hisses. "Not here. Not at our parents' wedding."

"HOW-DARE-YOU!" Nathan hisses back at Adam and punches him in the face.

"Nathan!" Avery screams as she tries to pull him off Adam.

When Luke pulls Nathan away she leans down towards Adam's level. "Adam, are you okay?"

A few minutes later Nathan was leaning against a pillar of the reception hall watching Avery and Adam dancing when his father comes up to him.

Tristan looks pained. "I think you better leave."

"What!" Nathan exclaims.

"You're kicking me out in favour of that whore's daughter?" he hisses incredulously.

"Don't call Rory a whore, you ungrateful…" Tristan says as he grabs his son's wrist.

"Let me go!" Nathan shouts. "I'm leaving."

As he walks out he shouts to the crowd. "I hope you have a happy life!" he says with sarcasm.

**The day Nathan leaves for Europe**

The doorbell rings at the Gilmore home at six am.

"Christ!" Lorelai swears as she opens the door.

"Oh," her face falls, "it's you."

"Don't look so happy to see me," replies Tristan.

"So I'm guessing you're here to see Rory?"

"No…um…I'd like to talk to Avery."

He hears rustling in the kitchen and a minute later, holding a cup of hot tea asks, "Who is here at this hour?"

"Oh," Avery says as she sees Tristan. "It's you."

Tristan laughs because he can see more Lorelai than Rory in Avery.

"What do you want?" she asks curiously.

"Do you want to go for a walk, _with me_?"

"Not particularly."

But Lorelai nods at her to get dressed and go for the walk. She is also curious as what he has to say.

Rory wakes up right before her daughter leaves for her walk. Yawning she asks, "Where are you going young lady?"

"I'm going for a walk with Tristan."

Rory nods in absent-minded reply and kisses the top of Avery's forehead. "I wouldn't tell your father."

Rory walks by Tristan to stand beside her mother in front of the door.

"Good morning Tristan," she says, albeit chilly.

"Good morning Rory," he says warmly. "Come on Avery," he says as he wraps his arms around her shoulders.

"I'm not…" Rory starts when she sees her daughter is uncomfortable.

Tristan turns around. "Is something wrong?"

"Can you take your arms off of my daughter?"

"Sorry," Tristan tells Avery. "Are you sure this walk is okay with you?"

Avery nods in response.

**In March at Princeton**

_Dear Avery,_

_I've really missed you. My father wrote me last week that you had our baby. I'm sorry that I couldn't come home to be with you. I have exams in two weeks and I really need this time to study. I know this sounds like excuses, but my father really expects me to get into medical school. I hope you understand. Please give my love to our little girl. Tell her daddy loves her. I'll try to make it home as soon as possible._

_P.S. Please write me if you've received any of my presents. I'd really like to see you again._

_Love,_

_Nate_

Avery is about to read the letter when she hears Madison screaming from the other room. She sticks the letter in the bottom of her underwear drawer and promptly forgets about it.

She picks up Madison and cradles her in her arms.

"Shh…mommy loves you…shh…" but she knows that this love might not be enough.

**Two weeks later…**

_Dear Avery,_

_I haven't heard from you and I've kind of given up on our correspondence. My father sent me a picture of Madison. She's a beauty, just like her mother. I think in the long run she'll be better off without me. Plus, I've met someone at school. Her name is Samantha and she's a Psych major. She sort of reminds me of you. She's a brainiac. I think even you would appreciate that. She doesn't know about our daughter and I think I'd like to keep it that way. You understand, don't you? If there is anyone special in your life and you'd like me to give up my parental writes, just call, okay? I'll think about it. I still think about us sometimes. I still love you._

_Love,_

_Nate_

Avery is sitting with her mother and grandmother when the letter arrives for her. She is just staring at it in confusion when they ask her whether she is going to read it.

"I'm not sure I care for what he has to say."

"Won't you regret it if you don't?" asks Lorelai.

"Maybe; maybe not."

Lorelai looks at Rory who in turn looks at Avery.

"Avery, sweetie, your twenty now and you haven't had a night out in almost a year. Why don't your grandmother and I look after Madison and you gather up some of your friends and go out on the town?"

"Who am I going to gather up? All of my friends have left town for school."

Lorelai has a eureka moment and exclaims, "You two go out and _I'll _look after Madison. I think she misses her great grandma. Anyways, you guys need some bonding time. So go karaoke or something. Have fun. Oohh…do something impulsive!"

"I don't think we really fit in at a karaoke bar, especially since neither of us can actually sing. We'll probably get booed out of the place and get thrown rotten tomatoes."

"Oh, come on, we'll have a ton of fun."

"I think I'll pass mom."

"You're no fun!" Rory pouts.

**333**

Almost immediately from the time they enter the bar a waitress is asking what they want to drink.

"I'll have a long island ice tea and my daughter will have…" Rory cuts off.

"A diet coke, please."

"Awesome. Coming right up," the waitress replies.

The tables were all set up in a semi circle around the karaoke stage. There was even a DJ!

"Next up, a warm welcome for a new timer, Mr. Nathan Dugrey!"

"Oh my god!" Avery began to hyperventilate. "Did you…did you _know_?"

"Honey, I didn't. I swear," Rory says in concern. "I promise."

Nathan gets on stage and is smiling down at someone from one of the first tables.

"Sammy, this is for you babe."

Rory looks sympathetic. "Do you want to leave?"

Avery is staring transfixed. "No," she says with determination. "Let's hear what he sings."

Nathan clears his throat, and whispers something to the DJ.

"Right on."

The first strains of music are greeted with complete silence.

**Hold on little girl/show me what he's done to you/stand up little girl, a broken heart can't be that bad/when its through, its through/fate will twist the both of you/but come on baby, come on over, let me be the one to show you**

Avery sees that he only has eyes for his new girl. He looks happy. He looks young and carefree. He doesn't want a child. He shouldn't have a child. He's only twenty.

She sees Tristan sitting next to Nathan's new girlfriend. He whispers something to her and she blushes.

**I'm the one who wants to be with you/deep inside I hope you feel it too/waited on the line of greens and blues/just to be the next to be with you**

Nathan looks up for a second and sees Avery. He isn't sure at first, but his voice falters anyways, and he continues to stare at her as he sings. He sees her look away from him.

He realizes he must have really hurt her.

His father twists in his chair to look around the bar. He sees Rory and Avery sitting in the back. Avery's head is resting on Rory's shoulder and it looks like she is wiping away tears.

Tristan feels terrible because Rory tells him about this place last week, and knowing full well that she is bringing her daughter here today also brings his son and his son's new girlfriend.

**Build up your confidence so you can be on top for once/wake up, who cares about little boys that talk too much? I've seen it all go down/your game of love was all rained out/so come on baby, come on over, let me be the one to hold you**

Tristan is staring at them when Rory feels someone's eyes on her. She sees him and while holding his gaze glares at him. It's a you-know-full well-what-this-glare-is-about.

He whispers to Sam that he sees a friend and that he'll be right back. Sam looks back to who Tristan has seen and is surprised to see a middle aged woman and a girl who couldn't be any older than herself or Nathan.

**I'm the one who wants to be with you/deep inside I hope you feel it too/waited on the line of greens and blues/just to be the next to be with you**

"I can't believe you'd bring him here!" hisses Rory angrily.

"I know. I'm sorry."

"You should tell that to my daughter. You're the reason her heart is broken."

Avery stands up and wipes her eyes. "You know?" she says with confidence. "I feel like singing."

**Why be alone? When we can be together baby/you can make my life worth while/I can make you start to smile**

Avery walks up to the DJ with confidence and asks him if she can sing next.

"Of course!"

She starts shaking badly. "Is this your first time?"

She nods yes.

"Well, its his first time too," the DJ nods towards Nathan and remarks, "he's not so bad so I'm sure that you won't be either."

"Thanks."

**When its through, its through/fate will twist the both of you/so come on baby, come on over, let me be the one to show you**

Nathan's eyes follow Avery as she walks up to the DJ.

He thinks that no good can come of this. She is getting back at him.

**I'm the one who wants to be with you/deep inside I hope you feel it too/waited on the line of greens and blues/just to be the next to be with you**

He finishes his song and jumps off the stage.

"Hey you!" he says happily at Sam as he kisses her.

"Hey you, too."

When he sits beside her Sam asks, "So whose the babe with your father?"

He groans inwardly. This cannot be good either.

**Just to be the next to be with you…**

The DJ takes the stage. "Tonight your in for a treat folks. We have not one, but two newbies here to sing for your pleasure. I am proud to introduce to you, Ms. Avery Gilmore!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Note**: The song is called "What Becomes of the Broken Hearted". The version I'm listening to is the one by Vonda Shepard. Think _Ally McBeal_.

**Chapter Thirteen**

**A return to karaoke…**

Avery takes the stage confidently, although she feels about to vomit.

"This…this is for anyone who has been hurt beyond repair."

Avery is staring pointedly and unapologetically at Nathan.

**As I walk this land of broken dreams/I have visions of many things/Love's happiness is just an illusion/filled with sadness and confusion**

"Why is she looking at you like that?" asks Sam confused.

**What becomes of the broken hearted? Who had love that's now departed/I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind, maybe**

"I'll tell you when we're outside."

**The fruits of love grow all around/but for me they come a-tumbling down/everyday heartaches grows a little stronger/I can't stand this pain much longer**

"Why can't you tell me now?"

**I walk in shadows, searching for light/cold and alone, no comfort in sight/hoping and praying for someone who cares/always moving and going nowhere**

"Do you want to know or not?"

**What becomes of the broken hearted? Who had love that's now departed/I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind, maybe**

"Of course I do!"

**I'm searching though I don't succeed/but someone look, there's a growing need/oh, he is lost, there's no place for beginning/all that's left is an unhappy ending**

"Avery looks unhappy," remarks Tristan.

Rory just glares. "I told you about this place in confidence. I can't believe that you would bring your son and his girlfriend here!"

Tristan sighs. "Her heart's really broken, isn't it?"

Rory cries. "It is, and I don't know how to help her through it."

**Now, what becomes of the broken hearted? Who had love that's now departed/I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind/I'll be searching everywhere, just to find someone to care/I'll be looking everyday, I know I'm gonna find my way/nothings gonna stop me now, I'll find a way somehow**

"Let's go outside," Nathan whispers to Sam.

"Okay," she replies and they stand up to leave.

They don't notice, but a single tear falls down Avery's face when she watches them leave.

**What becomes of the broken hearted? Who had love that's now departed/I know I've got to find some kind of peace of mind**

In the parking lot, feeling like he is going to have a panic attack, he sits on the dirty ground.

"What are you doing?"

"I feel calming closer to the ground."

Sam sits down beside him. "So? Is she a _crazy_ ex-girlfriend, or something?"

"Not really," he says sheepishly. "She's the mother of my daughter."


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter Fourteen**

**The walk with Tristan, continued…**

"I know you're upset with me," he tells her honestly.

"No shit, Sherlock," she replies irritably.

"But I have to think about my son's future."

"Are you saying…are you saying that you don't think _I_ have a future?"

Tristan shifts uncomfortably on his feet. "_No_. I'm just saying he needs to focus on himself right now before school starts…Then he won't have free time for quite a while."

"Well," Avery has tears in her eyes. "Neither will I. Have you thought of that?"

"I'll take care of you."

"Maybe I don't want you too."

"_Okay_, fair enough. But, there is something else I'd like to ask you."

"What is it?" she snaps.

"I would like to ask your mother to marry me?"

Avery laughs bitterly. "And why would she want to do that?"

"Hopefully because she loves me. We've been dating secretly. Especially since you and Nathan were becoming close. We didn't want to upset anything."

"Too late," Avery says severely, as she shrugs. "Too late."

"I've talked to your dad."

"Good for you."

"We think you should give the baby up for adoption."

"_We_?" Avery asks incredulously. "We! Are you ganging up on me?"

"If your mother marries me, I would like to adopt the baby as our own. You can live your life the way you planned. The baby will think of you as a sister. She'll never have to know."

"You're disgusting!" Avery spits at him. "I can't believe you would even suggest that to me!"

"How was your walk?" asks Rory as Avery storms past her.

Tristan shrugs as he walks through the door.

"What the _hell_ did you say to her?" hisses Lorelai. "The girl is in hysterics!"

"I just told her I think she should think about giving the baby up for adoption."

"You had… _no_ right," Rory cries as she walks away from him.

"What's wrong with you?" asks Lorelai.

"I talked with Logan, and he agrees with me."

"So you go behind my back to scheme with my ex-husband?"

"Come on Rory. Admit it. She'll be better off if she gives up her daughter in adoption. _I'll adopt_. _We'll adopt_."

"I'm sorry?" Rory chokes out.

"Will you marry me?"


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter Fifteen**

**After the walk with Tristan (Rory's answer)…**

"Will you marry me?"

Rory looks at him with indignation. "Are you on crack?"

"Rory, I love you. And I know that you love me too."

Tristan gets down on one knee. "Please?" he begs.

"You are being very presumptuous now, aren't you?" Rory asks. "How do you know I love you?"

"Don't you?" he asks, his voice full of hope.

Rory shakes her head. "I do but I can't marry you."

**Later that same day…**

"So, I hear congratulations are in order?" asks Logan anxiously.

"Where did you hear that?"

"From Tristan. Where else?"

"And you're okay with this?"

"No. But I know he'll treat you well. And, I guess, that's all I can ask for."

"Anyways, we're not getting married, so you can dispel any of these theories you're thinking of."

"Phew…" laughs Logan. "Some of them involved murder."

Rory and Logan laugh together on the phone.

"I'm glad we're beginning to be friends," says Rory.

"Me too."

**Later, in the evening…**

"How dare you tell Logan that I agreed to marry you!" Rory screams at Tristan. "Let me give this to you straight; I didn't!"

"Calm down. I never told Logan we were getting married," Tristan assures her.

He grabs her by the shoulders. "But if there's any chance of…"

"You're incorrigible," Rory laughs through her tears.

Tristan leans in to kiss her. He could hear her heart beating and could swear that it skipped a beat at the prospect of what he is about to do.

He can feel her mouth open against his and he slips his tongue into her mouth. It is warm, soft, and sweet. He thinks she must have had candy before they met. He picks her up by the waist and lifts her onto his desk. He moans that he is glad his children aren't home. Rory moans in appreciation too.

Still kissing, Rory is undoing Tristan's button down shirt one button at a time.

"You're taking too long," he groans.

He is about to rip off his shirt when the door opens and Aurora is standing in the doorway, shocked.

"Daddy?"

**A month before the wedding**

"Avery? Are you going to open the letter?" asks Adam.

"I'm afraid."

"Do you want me to open it?"

Shaking, she hands it over to him.

_Dear Avery,_

"Don't continue," Avery begs of Adam. "I can't hear it. Not now."

"Do you have a date to your mom's wedding?"

"No. Are you asking?"

Adam blushes. "If you don't have anyone to go with, I'll go with you."

"I'm lucky to have such a great friend like you, Adam. I really am."

**A year before the wedding**

"Guess what?" Rory exclaims excitedly.

"What?" Avery looks up from chopping up tiny bits of meat for Madison.

"I'm getting married!"

"No way!" Avery shouts happily.

"I'm really happy for you mom," Avery says as she gives her a big hug. "Congratulations."

Madison looks up in confusion. "Your Grammy is getting married," Rory tells her as she kisses the top of her forehead.

**Four years earlier…**

"I'm sorry I was such a bitch on our walk," Avery apologizes to Tristan. "I know my mother really loves you."

"I really love her too."

"But do you mind waiting a couple years to get married? I would really appreciate it. I want to get on my feet with the baby before anything drastic changes in our lives."

"So, you've decided to keep the baby?"

"I think so. I know it will be hard, but my grandmother went through this even younger than myself, so I know I will be okay."

"I love you," Tristan says genuinely. "I will do anything for you. Just name it."


End file.
